LTSpice
LTSpice is a popular simulation package. The successor to LTSpice is qspice, also programmed by the same developer. https://hackaday.com/2023/08/25/qspice-picks-up-where-ltspice-left-us/
Getting Started
- https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/getting-started-with-ltspice/all - some videos here, and they also link to the LT youtube playlist. The forum is DOA, don't bother clicking that. Some high frequency noise on the sprakfun videos. they cover most of what the LT videos cover but in a different interpretation. Both worth watching.
- http://web.archive.org/web/20020909153731/http://www.macs.ee.mcgill.ca/~roberts/SPICE/Welcome1.html - I have come across this book in my used book store browsing, and own a copy of the 2nd edition.
General Notes
0 is a gnd in the netlist. That means you can go to: view - spice netlist, and the path items will be 0 V001 or some variation thereof. The netlists are text files, and easily readable.
AoE uses ICAP/4 Spice. It runs about $3,500 for the base software. There is a free demo for schematics under 20 parts. The X chapters, has a section of spice, but it's not in the 3rd edition. They also list, MicroCap 9, MMICAD, and PSpice. There are some Spice book recommendations in the spice section, and in other sections (e.g. the Power, Regulation, and Control, or Amplifiers). This is all in the appendix.
Tips/Techniques
Amp Hour Podcast Interview with the Programmer
https://theamphour.com/196-an-interview-with-mike-engelhardt-spice-simulator-synteresis/
Simulating a delay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aQ77YI7inI A competent user of LTSpice. A good video to show usage and a reasonable circuit as well (the circuit is essentially simulating a 555 timer from discrete (well op amps) components).
Guaranteed to Work on Linux (TM)
For 32 bit linux, use LTSpice XVII (which I have running on Devuan/Debian 12).
Stepping Parameters
beginning, end, interval. E.g. test a capacitor from 2nf to 10nf in 2nf steps.
